Ash receptacle



Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

UNTED STATES PATT OFFICE.

JAMES A. GREEN, F TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO TORRING'ION SPE- CIALTY COMPANY, A PARTNERSHIP CONSIST'ING OF JAMES A. GREEN AND ED- W'ARD W. MORGAN, BOTH 0F TOR/RINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

ASH RECEPTACLE.

Appilication led January 31, 1924. Serial No. 689,680.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES A. GREEN, a citizen o-f the United States, residing at Torrington, county of Litcheld, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Ash Receptacle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to receptacles for ashes, dust and other refuse, although the article illustrated is especially adapted for use as an ash receptacle for smokers use.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this character which will eliminate the blowing or spilling of ashes over adjacent articles, and also will eliminate the smoke annoyance of discarded cigar or cigarette stubs.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this character which will eliminate the re hazard from cigarette or cigar stubs and matches, and will also eliminate the unsightliness thereof.

It is a further object to provide a receptacle for these articles which may be easily and quickly cleaned, and one which may be mounted on the dash of an automobile, or a table or other suitable support without any drilling, cutting or marring of the support in an way.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in View, I have devised the construction illus- .rated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, similar reference characters being employed throughout the various figures to indicate corresponding elements. In this drawing,-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a receptacle involving my invention as mounted on the front of an automobile dash or similar suport.

p Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation with the clamp removed.

Fig. 4 is a section substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 5 showing a slightly different construction, and

Fig. 7 is a front view on a reduced scale showing a different method kof mounting the receptacle, whereby it may be used on a desk as a paper weight or otherwise.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. l to 5,

as will presently be described. The upperV edges of the front and side of the funnel are preferably recessed, as shown at 13, so that a cigar or cigarette may be placed thereon if desired. Preferably the back wall l() is extended upward higher than the front and side walls, as shown at 14, so as to protect the surface of the dash or other support to which the device is secured. In Figs. l, 2 and 3, I have indicated at 15 a portion of a dash of an automobile although, of course, the device may be secured to any similar element, as a downwardlyprojecting skirt or Harige on a table or desk.

In Fig. 2 is shown a convenient means for removably clamping the support to the dash. A threaded stud 16 projects rearwardly from the back of the plate to which it is secured by any suitable means. It is preferably secured by pro-viding a countersunk opening 36 in the plate 10 with one or more grooves or recesses 37 in the tapered walls of the c ounterSink. The stud 16 is provided with a tapered head 38 adapted to seat loosely in the countersink which head is provided with one or more ribs or projections 39 to extend into the recesses 37 to prevent turning of the stud in the plate. An L- shaped clamp 17 is provided with the end of one leg resting against the back of the plate 10 and the other leg having screw threaded connection with a stud 40 passing therethrough. The stud 40 preferably has an enlarged foot 41 to engage the back of the support l5. The stud may be adjusted in the clamp by any suitable means such as a thumb nut 42 secured to the stud by any suitable means such as a pin 43. By adjusting the stud 40 in the clamp it maybe adapt ed for supports 15 of different thicknesses. The stud 16 passes loosely throughan opening in this leg, and threaded to the stud is a nut 18, preferably a wing nut as shown. It will be evident that by tightening, the nut 18 against the clamp the dash will be securely clamped between the back of the plate 10 and the end of the stud 40. It will also be obvious that'the device may be easily removed by merely loosening the wing nut, and mounted in another position if desired. The stud 16 may be easily removed from plate 10 by pushing it from the countersunk opening after container 2l has been removed. To strengthen the plate 10 and also to provide shoulders to engage the lower edge of the dash to properly position the plate and to' also assist the clamp in retaining the device in proper position, l provide on the back a pair of L-shaped ribs 19. The upper legs 2O of these ribs are so positioned as to engage the lower edge of the dash making it easier for one mounting the device to place it in the proper position before clamping the wing nut.

Carried by the support is a. container 21 for the ashes or other refuse. This contaiir er may be mounted in various ways, that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, making it easily removable for cleaning and also retaining it in the proper position. The container is preferably in the form of a drum circular in cross section with an opening 22 in the cylindrical side wall thereof, this opening being substantially the same size as the opening in the lower end of the funnel 11. rThe container is so mounted on the plate 10- that it may be given partial rotation to bring this opening either in alignment with the opening in the lower end of the funnel or under one' of the curved walls 12. In the first position it will be obvious that articles or refuse dropped into the funnel will pass into the container, while in the latter position the container will be closed. For mounting the container a. suitable number of springs 28 and 24 are secured to the back plate 10 by any suitable means, such as rivets or screws 25. These. springs are also preferably set into grooves 26 in the rear wall of the back plate so that they are more securely held in position. rlhe free ends of the springs extend forwardly from the back plate at substantially right angles thereto and engage the cylindrical side wall of the container 21. Each spring is provided with an offset 27 or other suitable projection which extends into short grooves 28 in the walls of the container. rlhus these o-Hsets will yieldingly retain the container against the front face of the back plate and under the funnel. The grooves 28 are of such a length as to limit the turning movements of the container so that by turning it counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, the opening 22v will be brought into alignment with the funnel' and stopped in this position by the springs, and its movement clockwise, as viewed in this figure, will bring the opening 22 under the right hand curved wall 12, and the other end of the groove will limit this movement. However, l prefer to provide additional limiting means, such as a curved slot 29, in the back plate l() and a rearwardly extending lug or pin 3001i the container which projects into this slot. By engagement of this lug with the opposite ends of the slot it will limit the turning movements of the container. lt will be obvious that by merely grasping the container it may be drawn forwardly from the back plate and from between the springs, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2, and removed entirely from the support. After removal the contents may be easily dumped and the container cleaned. 1t may be as easily and quickly returned to the support by incr y inserting it between the springs and pushing it rearwardly until the oil'sets 27 enter the grooves 28. As the springs press against the container they will yieldingly hold it in any given position, so that if it is turned to the open position the springs will yield ingly retain it in this position or they will yieldingly retain it in the ciesed position as desired. At the same time, however, it will allow easy shifting from one position to the other.

In F ig. G is shown a slightly different construction for i'nounting the container on the back plate 10. ln this construction the stud 16 is extended forwardly, as shown at 31, through the front and rear walls of the container, with a knurled nut 32 threaded on the free end thereof. By removing this nut the container may be removed from the stud and cleaned, while the nut 32 may also be used to clamp it in different positions.

It is especially to be noted that by means of the clamp 17 and nut 18 the device may be quickly and easily mounted on the dash of an automobile or any similar support without any cutting, drilling or other operations being required which will mar the surfacel of this support. Also that after the ashes, or cigar or cigarette stubs have been deposited in the container it may be moved to closed position so that they cannot be blown about to ignite any combustible articles. They are also entirely out of sight so that their unsightly appearance is eliminated. Furthermore, as the container is substantially air tight the smouldering butt will bev extinguished, eliminating the smoke annoyance of these butts. The refuse or articles placed in the container will be securely held thereby so that they will not be jarred therefrom in use, or should the device be overturned. Of course, the device may be mounted by different means and in various locations. For this purpose l provide in the back plate 10, a pair of screw openings 83 so that by removing` the stud 16' the back plate may be secured, by suitable screws passing through these openings, to a vertical wall, as for instance, a wall CII in the rear compartment of a closed car. It is also adapted to be mounted on a suitable stand, as indicated at 34k, Fig. 7 for use on a desk and as a paper weight or there may be an opening 35 provided in the upper end of the rear wall so that it may be suspended from a suitable hook. Other forms of supports and uses for the device will present themselves to di'erent users, as for instance, a suction cup may be attached to the rear plate and the device held thereby on a Wind shield, mirror, or other smooth surface.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

l. A receptacle comp-rising a support having a funnel open at its top and bottom with a curved wall extending laterally from the bottom thereof, and a container' having an opening in one side mounted to turn beneath said funnel to bring the opening either into alignment with the funnel to allow deposit of material in the container or under said curved wall to close the said opening.

2. A receptacle comprising a support having a funnel open at its top and bottom with a. curved wall extending laterally from the bottom thereof, a cylindrical container having an opening in the curved wall thereof, and means for removably securing the container to the support, said securing means also arranged to allow turning movement of the container to move the opening to and from alignment with the opening in the bottom of the funnel.

3. A receptacle comprising a support having a funnel open at its top and bottom with a curved wall extending laterally from the bottom thereof, a substantially cylindrical container having an opening in the curved wall thereof, a plurality of spring clips extending forwardly from the support and adapted to engage the side walls of said container to removably secure it to the support, said clips also adapted to allow turning movement of the container to bring the opening therein into alignment with the funnel or under the curved wall.

4. A receptacle comprising a support having a funnel open at its top and bottom with a curved wall extending laterally from the bottom thereof, a substantially cylindrical container having an opening in the curved Wall thereof, and a plurality of grooves in said curved wall, and a plurality of spring clips extending forwardly from the support and provided with offsets extending into said grooves.

5. A receptacle comprising a support having a funnel open at its top and bottom with a curved wall extending laterally from the bottom thereof, a substantially cylindrical container having an opening in the curved wall thereof, and means for securing the container to the support beneath said funnel, said means being arranged to allow turning movement of the container to bring the opening to alignment with either the funnel or the curved wall, said mea-ns also arranged to yieldingly retain the container in either position.

6. A receptacle comprising a support having a funnel open at its top and bottom with a curved wall extending laterally from the bottom thereof, a substantially cylindrical container having an opening in the curved wall thereof, and spring clips extending forwardly from the support adapted for insertion of the container between them, said container being pro-vided with grooves in its curved wall, said clips being provided with offsets spaced from their free ends adapted to extend into said grooves, said grooves being of such a length that the engagement of the ends thereof with said offsets will limit the turning movements of the container to position its opening either in alignment with the funnel or the curved wall at one side thereof.

7 A receptacle comprising a support having a funnel and a wall at one side thereof, a substantially cylindrical container having an opening in its curved side wall, and means for securing the receptacle to the support under the funnel arranged to allow turning movement of the container to move its opening to and from alignment with the funnel, said securing means also adapted to allow removal of the container by merely drawing it forward away from the support and mounting of the container by moving it rearwardly toward the support.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES A. GREEN. 

